1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to measurement equipment and methods, and more particularly to a System and Method For Determining The Radiological Composition of Material Layers Within a Conduit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Determination of the radiological contamination layer within a conduit such as a light water reactor pipe in a nuclear power plant provides proper decision making regarding chemistry regimes to best minimize the radiological transportation of corrosion products and activation products. Corrosion products such as Co-58 and Co-60, and some fission products such as Cs-134 and Cs-137, are the primary causes of radiation exposure to plant workers during reactor maintenance. In addition, excessive corrosion on valves reduces their operational effectiveness. Once the make-up of the corrosion layer is understood, changes in plant water pH, clean up system alternatives, or operating temperatures may be made to reduce the continuous build up of corrosion products. Unfortunately, techniques and equipment currently used to measure the radiological contamination layer within pipes in a nuclear power plant are large, bulky, and difficult to maneuver into the sometimes tight, inaccessible, or elevated spaces within a nuclear power plant. What is needed is a measurement device and associated methods that is compact, lightweight, easy to operate, and provides quick and accurate readings of the radiological contamination layer within the conduit, pipe, or vessel.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a System and Method For Determining The Radiological Composition of Material Layers Within a Conduit such as a pipe or a vessel. Other objects of the present invention include, but are not limited to, determining vessel thickness, occlusion, scarring, or the like in human or animal bodies. These and other objects of the present invention are not to be considered comprehensive or exhaustive, but rather, exemplary of objects that may be ascertained after reading this specification with the accompanying drawings and claims.